Money, Trauma & Ancestral History Part II

Welcome back, sisterhood. This is part two of the question posed to renowned Financial Coach Vangile Makwakwa. We asked her, "What is the unexpressed link between money trauma and African women?" If you haven't read part one, do so here.

You're in for a treat. In our previous article, Vangile highlighted that financial trauma around African women includes the trauma of making ourselves invisible. Wealth and visibility are irrevocably linked. One of the key reasons we would reject wealth is that black and brown women, who historically have been born into or are descendants of a system of oppression, feel safe when invisible. 

Vangile furthers the conversation around trauma, oppression and money.

"Systems of oppression teach us that we are not good enough. You hear questions like, why do black or brown women not want to step into leadership positions? When you don't see representatives that look like you in leadership, when they are mainly white men, you don't believe you are worthy of that leadership position. Something you cannot change, who you are as a woman of colour suddenly doesn't seem good enough." Vangile refers to this as the "Not good enough wound", which affects how we perceive ourselves.

"The subconscious messaging that most us have received is that we are not good enough. Self-perception is a huge part of how we create wealth. We live in a world of rejection, where everyone gets a no. However, receiving a no is an entirely different story when you have countless examples over hundreds of years where people who look just like you have made it. There's a belief that you can do it."

Let's pause here and flip the script. When your ancestors have been wrongfully told for hundreds of years that they are not good enough and that everything about you is wrong...that they are not worthy of wealth or abundance, that is a belief that is passed down from one generation to the next. Why are we surprised that we lack the conviction to build wealth confidently? 

While this may have you sitting with your mouth open in shock, the good news is when we do the work, when we turn to the "not good enough wound" and start to build from there and undo the wrong thinking, we can reverse those very beliefs because sisters, we ARE good enough. I am overwhelmed with deep compassion for my family, people of colour, and myself. I feel such compassion because our people are trying! We are trying. We are trying to do things differently and starting right now where we are with whatever we have, and that's good enough. 

We have been created for abundance and wealth. Knowing why we may have rejected wealth is the awakening we need to move forward...to build from experience and insight.